The endless expanse of space is an incredibly beautiful sight, but it can also be a deadly place for the earthly human being.
The movie “Gravity,” released Oct. 4, puts viewers into this dangerous realm right alongside the astronauts defying gravity to work and learn about the atmosphere that is the universe.
Using the incredible visual effects of 3D, the film begins showing a routine spacewalk conducted by Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney), who is commanding his last shuttle mission.
During the spacewalk, the crew of the Explorer space shuttle is warned by mission control that a Russian missile strike conducted against a dysfunctional satellite has created a chain reaction of debris.
The debris is reportedly headed right for the shuttle and hits Stone, who is thrown into space after the debris collides with the shuttle.
Stone is rescued by Kowalsky who has a thruster pack, which he uses to maneuver to her location.
They then return to the Explorer space shuttle, but discover the debris demolished it. It is beyond repair and the crew is dead.
The two survivors make their way to the International Space Station in hopes of using the escape pod to return to Earth.
The visual effects of “Gravity” are amazing.
Everything looks so real that one feels like they are actually floating in space along with Stone.
It’s not just the visuals that are realistic, but the lack of sound during the space sequences make one feel that they’re in space.
All that can be heard during the majority of the movie are the voices of the actors and their heavy breathing in their suits or in the capsules, because there is nothing to carry sound in space.
The best way to see this movie is on the biggest screen possible and preferably in 3D.
While the visuals are believable, the storyline is not.
The entire situation is too hard to believe. Although most of the film was an on-the-edge-of-your-seat suspenseful thriller, there were scenes that were slightly boring, however the entertainment factor definitely made up for the sometimes-lacking story.
“Gravity” was directed and written by Alfonso Cua`on and is rated PG-13 for intense perilous sequences, some disturbing images and brief strong language.
The movie is 90-minutes long, the same length of time it takes the International Space Station to orbit the Earth.